The Minnesota volleyball team was named as one of the four teams in this year's Runza/AVCA Showcase according to an announcement by the American Volleyball Coaches Association on Thursday, Apr. 2. Minnesota will be joined by Kansas State, Michigan and host Nebraska.

This year's event will feature the Conference Challenge format that was unveiled last year. Minnesota will face Kansas State in its first match on Friday, Aug. 28 and will take on Nebraska in its second match on Saturday, Aug. 29. The other matchups will feature Michigan against Nebraska on Friday, Aug. 28 and Kansas State against Michigan on Saturday, Aug. 29. Times for the matches have not been announced at this point.

Tickets to the event will go on sale to the general public on Monday, Apr. 13 at 10 a.m. (CT), exclusively through the QWest Center Omaha and Ticketmaster. All-session ticket prices are $39 and $32. This will be the fourth year that the QWest Center has played host to the event. Last year, the QWest Center also hosted a record crowd of 17,430 during the national semifinals.

The Golden Gophers are making their first appearance in the Runza/AVCA Showcase event. However, Minnesota hosted the NACWAA Classic in 2002, and traveled to Fort Collins in 2004 to play in the NACWAA Classic.

Minnesota returns six letterwinnners from last year, including 2008 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Christine Tan, Second-Team All-American outside hitter Brook Dieter and Third-Team All-American middle blocker Lauren Gibbemeyer. The Golden Gophers will also welcome in a highly touted freshmen class, along with seniors transfers Taylor Carico and Megan Wilson to the program.